Your Thoughts On Akira?

[ComandaKool]

I recently finished reading Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo and I really enjoyed it; I read all six volumes throughout two weeks. (would have finished them earlier but I ordered the last three through my local library and that took a few days.) The story and illustrations are outstanding so I highly recommend it. I plan to watch the film soon; looks like I'll have to buy it online to do so, but I'll happily do so.

So tell me your thoughts on it; being the only person I know who has red it I need to speak to a fellow reader on the subject.

 

[DefunctTheory]

You're going to be disappointed in the movie.

The visuals in it are fantastic. Everything else is shit.

 

[ComandaKool]

You're going to be disappointed in the movie.

The visuals in it are fantastic. Everything else is shit.

I'm told that there are two English dubs the original 1988 dub and the more faithful 2001 dub. Do you know what one you were listening to?

 

[madwarper]

It doesn't matter which dub you listen to, they cut out the entire part of Tokyo being in ruins being lead by the 2 factions.
In short, it pretty much goes from Tetsuo breaking out of the facility, to him going nova in the stadium.

 

[Casual Shinji]

The comic and the movie are very good in their own right.

Otomo knew he couldn't compact the entirety of the story into 2 hours, so with the movie he focused on getting the feel of Neo Tokyo pitch perfect. The sense of doom and gloom, of a city on the brink of self destruction, is immensely palpable. And the score helps in envoking a grandiose yet claustrophobic atmosphere. I also feel the metaphor of a post-WW2 disillisioned Japan comes across much better in the movie.

The comic is very good, too, but I feel lacked the weight of the movie. I also absolutely fucking loath the epiloge of the comic. You know the one... Where all the characters we've come to know and love suddenly turn into highly aggressive, somewhat xenophobic pricks, and unite themselves under the banner of the organisation we'd spent more than half of the story hating. It capped off the story with a horribly sour after taste.

In that regard I still consider the movie ending to be miles above that of the comic.

 

[spacemutant IV]

It has been a long time since I read the comic books, but I was as disappointed by them as another user was about the movie, which I think was superior, even though it misses some fun, yet unneccessary parts. The comic suffered from the three deadly serial/comic book problems: 1. a lot of padding through unneccessary action that doesn't really do shit for the story, 2. way too many coincidences that occur when the world you create becomes increasingly large and convoluted, yet the plot depends on certain people to always meet again, and 3. the protagonists going through so much action and out of improbable situations, you can't help but realize that they are immortal because they just have to be in order for the book to continue. The movie did away with all of those problems. I also have my own rather unique interpretation of it, but I guess that is not being asked for here.

 

[GundamSentinel]

"KANEDAAA!"
"TETSUOOOO!"

Yes, I loved the movie. I think it was the first piece of anime I ever watched, so I migth be a bit biased in that regard. Great movie that really set a nice atmosphere (the bike scene is legendary). The story could feel a little rushed and missing in explanation, but a lot is implied that needn't be told.

I read the manga years later and found them to be impressive in their own way. Personally, I don't really connect manga and movie that much, because the manga as a so much wider scope (obviously). The movie is more of an interpretation of the manga than it is a translation. But yeah, as Shinji said, the mange lacked some of the weight and urgency that made the movie work so well. Also, the movie cutting off pretty much the entire second half of the story felt like a good move to me. The manga were a great read, with excellent art, but could be a bit drawn out and over the top and the character development later in the books felt off.

 

[Casual Shinji]

the protagonists going through so much action and out of improbable situations, you can't help but realize that they are immortal because they just have to be in order for the book to continue.

You mean the scene where Kaneda falls from miles high and conveniently lands in a sheet of ridiculously strong cloth? They could've handled his transistion back into the physical world a bit better... yeah.

 

[Terramax]

Only seen the film. I read that the original creator of the manga was behind the movie adaption, therefore it's more streamlined but still to the original. I like the film, with the original voice overs (not the newer voice-overs added for the DVD release). Not a favourite, but a good example of what anime was when it took itself seriously, and wasn't chasing after fanservice all the time.

 

[Scarim Coral]

To nicely put it, I didn't liked the movie. Sure the animation were great for its time but the rest of it doesn't appeal to me.

 

[Harley Q]

I watched the film as a child, I couldn't sleep, my dad thought that it was a run of the mill cartoon that was playing on late night tv for some reason...

as a result of this, NIGHTMARES and a phobia of broken glass.

 

[shadow_Fox81]

i love them both.

but I'd had to say i like the comics more.

Otomo's panel layouts are inspired and his ink work is sublime and its probably one of the greatest action comics ever written that fills pages with exciting adrenaline fueled panels that are inhabited by characters that actually seem to feel alive.

i don't think a history of comics is complete without Akira.

sure it has some narrative problems but the comic is such a sensual delight that i think its sheer brilliance.

 

[King of Asgaard]

I think the film is good. Not great, as it has its fair share of flaws in terms of the story, and it was hyped up a lot by my brother, but very watchable in its own right. Plus, the animation is godly, and still holds up today as one of the best bits of animation out there.
I've not read the manga, but I hear good things about it.

 

[DoPo]

I watched the film as a child, I couldn't sleep, my dad thought that it was a run of the mill cartoon that was playing on late night tv for some reason...

Hey, it wasn't as bad as my experience - it was the guys from the TV station that thought it was a run of the mill cartoon and put it in the cartoon block in the middle of the day. So my first impressions of Akira were "AAAAAAAAAAAA!".

 

[Angie7F]

I have matched the movie but not the manga
Same for Nise monogatari. I watched the anime but not the original light novel.
I have so much reading to catch up on.
If I go missing you will be able to find me in the closes manga cafe for sure...